04 BMW 318i parked up for year and a half... Nct

Mach 3

Lads, 04 bmw has been parked up for a year and a half, as I didn't have the heart to destroy the car when I bought a new motor.
The problem at the time was a broken driver side regulator (quote €260)and both keys (quote €300 for 1)were dead, so as I knew feck all at the time I didn't bother putting it through the nct.
Been mainly looking at YouTube videos as I now have the time to fix it, stripped out the regulator the video was 10 minds it took me about 4 hours and multiple watching of the video. Sourced a replacement on amazon for €30 and did the toothbrush charge trick on the keys-which worked a treat.
Anyhoo went to start the car fot the first time since it was parked up, battery was dead as a door nail. Put jump leads on and to my surprise it started up after the third turn of the key. Reversed out and the car was scratching from the wheels, drove for about 300 yards and she conked.
Regulator coming on Thursday, probably another few hours of head scratching and cursing. Took off all the wheels and wire brushed (with drill) the rotars too take the rust off, put copper paste on them, the screeching has stopped. Brakes are sticking don't know if it's the pads or fluid. Changed air filter (another few hours compared to the 5 min video), changed oil filter again another few hours as it welded tight, got the cap with a hammer and turning at the same time. I wasn't able to change the oil as the body is quite low down and I don't trust the jack (fell off when changing the wheels, so not going under the car).
Car was driving perfectly before been parked up, the only things was fumes/smell coming into the cabin, which seems to have stopped since I changed the air filter, and white smoke coming from the exhaust. Have ordered blue devil oil sealer and blue devil head gasket sealer. Also put sti pre nct in the petrol tank.
All in all I spent about 30 hours and €300 on parts and tools on a car the scrap yards will only tow away for no money(worthless) . It has become a learning curve if nothing else, as the only thing I knew before hand was how to start a car and where the fuel went in.
Any advice /tips from guys in the know please do. I've kinda caught the bug and am too thick to give up now.

Toyotafanboi

I would avoid putting any of those "sealing" potions in the oil or coolant, particularly if you don't have a problem already, you likely will after you ad them.

Other than that it's great to see someone bitten by the DIY bug, feel free to keep us updated.

If it were my car i'd stick a cheap battery in it, take if for an hour or two of a drive then just send it in for the test and let them tell you what's what.

Things you've mentioned like the white steam from the exhaust are fairly ordinary, particularly when running a car that's been parked up for a while, this will calm down to an unnoticeable level when the car is back in regular use.

Mach 3

Cheers, can't drive it at the moment as no tax so can't charge the battery, nct on Saturday just got the insurance on the car so will probably borrow a battery for the nct. Do you think the battery will take a charge after a year and a half, it is a bmw battery. Planning to drive it till she won't drive no more 142,000 miles on the clock. What damage does the blue devil do? From reading the websites they say its a permanent fix, but then again I'm totally knew to this.

Bmw123d

Mach 3 wrote: »

Cheers, can't drive it at the moment as no tax so can't charge the battery, nct on Saturday just got the insurance on the car so will probably borrow a battery for the nct. Do you think the battery will take a charge after a year and a half, it is a bmw battery. Planning to drive it till she won't drive no more 142,000 miles on the clock. What damage does the blue devil do? From reading the websites they say its a permanent fix, but then again I'm totally knew to this.

None of these sealing products are ever a permanent fix ever. What are u trying to seal. Is there a leak. I’m very well up on bmws so if u give us the info I can point u in the right direction

Mach 3

Thanks, no there doesn't seem to be any obvious leak. When I was driving it before it kept running low on oil and a burning smell.

Bmw123d

Mach 3 wrote: »

Thanks, no there doesn't seem to be any obvious leak. When I was driving it before it kept running low on oil and a burning smell.

That would be the vacuum pump on the back of the engine leaking oil and it drops onto the exhaust. Very common problem. I’m telling u now do not put any of them products into the car they will actually cause u more problems if ur going to sort the car u need to fix the leak and not with any of them products. Get urself a new oring for the vacuum pump or a new pump. Other oil leaks will be the oil filter housing and the rocker cover gasket.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Mach 3 wrote: »

What damage does the blue devil do? From reading the websites they say its a permanent fix, but then again I'm totally knew to this.

Permanent fix for what? You don't know what the problem is so don't start lobbing in miracle fix-it fluids when you really have no need and certainly don't add head gasket sealer when you don't know if you have a gasket problem.

Mach 3

OK cool, I won't use the sealants so. Haven't a clue what or where the vacuum pump is. More googling. I will probably have to leave that until after the nct. As suggested above I will run it through and let them tell me what's wrong.

Is changing the o ring a big job?

Bmw123d

Mach 3 wrote: »

OK cool, I won't use the sealants so. Haven't a clue what or where the vacuum pump is. More googling. I will probably have to leave that until after the nct. As suggested above I will run it through and let them tell me what's wrong.

Is changing the o ring a big job?

The vacuum pump is at the back of the engine. There’s a couple of panels to strip off first in order to get access to where the pump is. It’s not to big of a job to do the seal it requires removal of the pump and then opening up the pump to change the oring we normally just change the pump as apoosed stripping them as in it’s litterly one off then straight back on with the new one.

standardg60

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

I would avoid putting any of those "sealing" potions in the oil or coolant, particularly if you don't have a problem already, you likely will after you ad them.

Other than that it's great to see someone bitten by the DIY bug, feel free to keep us updated.

If it were my car i'd stick a cheap battery in it, take if for an hour or two of a drive then just send it in for the test and let them tell you what's what.

Things you've mentioned like the white steam from the exhaust are fairly ordinary, particularly when running a car that's been parked up for a while, this will calm down to an unnoticeable level when the car is back in regular use.

+1

You may have seized the handbrake mechanism if you left it on while it was parked up. I'm not up on bmws so bmw123d might advise if its possible to spray a load of wd somewhere to free it up.
Other than that charge the battery from now til Saturday and then try it in the morning, bring it for a long spin, you may drive an off-road declared car without tax if travelling to or from an nct. Nobody says you can't take the scenic route:).

Bmw123d

standardg60 wrote: »

+1

You may have seized the handbrake mechanism if you left it on while it was parked up. I'm not up on bmws so bmw123d might advise if its possible to spray a load of wd somewhere to free it up.
Other than that charge the battery from now til Saturday and then try it in the morning, bring it for a long spin, you may drive an off-road declared car without tax if travelling to or from an nct. Nobody says you can't take the scenic route:).

The handbrakes do tend to seize up on them ya but the calipers also give trouble. My advise would be to strip the caliper and cradle off first see is it the handbrake that’s seized if it is hit the hub a couple of slaps with the hammer it will free up. Then unwind the hand break adjuster through the wheel stud hole remove the disc the clean and lub up all handbrake moving parts.

Next return the caliper and cradle back to the hub. Remove the two 7 Allen sliders out of the caliper. Pull off the caliper and remove pads. Use a large channel lock and return the piston to the fully returned position. If this happens and u don’t have trouble pushing it back your ok. If the piston will not move please replace the caliper and bleed brakes.

Next repeat process for the opposite side.

Mach 3

Hey lads, just a quick update - I got the regulator in with out to much hassle, about an hour and a half to place it and put the door back together. Only had one screw left over when finished
Changed the oil, got a cheap second hand battery, checked the brakes as best I could and took it for a long spin today. The brakes pedal lossened out the more I tested them.
Put her through the nct and she failed on front drivers side ball joint.
Happy enough that any work I did managed to pass, mind you the hand brake just scraped through on 24%.

Trying to source a wishbone and Bush now.